Question:
Hi,
I'm a massage therapist - acutally I've just qualified (yay!)
Somebody recommended to me that I advertise as a mobile therapist in hotels, local 5* hotels, and basically go into the client's hotel room and massage them there.
Does anyone have an opinion on that? Safety etc?
Katie
Hi Katie
It would be advisable to have a word with the hotel managers so they do not get the wrong idea as to what you are doing and if they are ok with the idea then please make sure that you inform someone as the where and when you are going and phone them in-between treatments so they know you are all right.
Saying that you will probably find it the same as going to someone's house to give them a treatment and as long as you stay in control you should not have to many problems :-)
If I visit someoen in ther ehome, I am not necessarly going into their bed-room. In ahotle it might more easilly attract the wrong type of clients? But I think that if you word your leaflet carefully enough so that it is clear that it is therapeutical massage you are doing and not offering "stress relief for lonely travellers" you should be fine.
Artemis
Hi there
I haven't actually massaged at a hotel however have considered it. The only way that I think that I would do it is if it was through an arrangement through the hotel management where they recommended my therapy or if there was an arrangement where they actually booked on the potential client's behalf. The other angle though is alot of 5 * hotels do have their own health suite facilities and I don't know if it would be a conflict of interest if you were to massage on their premises. I do not know any of this from experience but just thinking out aloud!
Only yesterday I had an e-mail from a potential client who asked if a massaged in hotels. I did not know this chap at all and he provided no other details and so immediately I knew I would not be interested. I responded thanking him for his enquiry, told him I do not do hotel visits and suggested that he looked in the local Yellow Pages for other Complementary Therapists who may be able to help or alternatively there may be a healthsuite available in the hotel he was staying (I did not know where he was staying). His enquiry was probably totally genuine with no shady undertones, so I tried not to offend him with my response but also did not want to take any chances either.
I think massaging in hotels could really hold some potential as I am sure there are plenty of stressed out business people (or anyone) who could do with a massage but personally I am not quite sure of the right way to go about this and so would be interested to read any further feedback you get from you thread.
Hollyx
I agree totally. All good hotels have treatments like this now.
katie - depending where you live - but in London there are already several massage therapy agencies specialising in hotel massage services and (what I heard) competition is strong.
Several of my collegues works for them - they are busy and well paid (they don't have much overheads as massage tables are provided in larger hotels and taxi fares are paid if they have to bring table with them).
I have many enquiries for hotel massage outcalls - however they are often at short notice and in the late evenings (when I am the most busy with my regular clients) as some hotel spas get overbooked.
Occasionally I have hotel massage jobs - they tend to be in the mornings/afternoons from clients with medical conditions or just suffering badly from jet lag and interested in one of my techniques (very often hotel massage clinics offer only relaxation massage).
Myself I don't even bother bringing my massage table with me as there is never enough space to set them up and move around - I do treatments on the floor (on the blanket or even bath towels).
Problem with hotel massage clients is that they won't be your regulars and you really need a steady local client base.
I'm a massage therapist - acutally I've just qualified (yay!)
Somebody recommended to me that I advertise as a mobile therapist in hotels, local 5* hotels, and basically go into the client's hotel room and massage them there.
Does anyone have an opinion on that? Safety etc?
Katie
Answers:
Hi Katie
It would be advisable to have a word with the hotel managers so they do not get the wrong idea as to what you are doing and if they are ok with the idea then please make sure that you inform someone as the where and when you are going and phone them in-between treatments so they know you are all right.
Saying that you will probably find it the same as going to someone's house to give them a treatment and as long as you stay in control you should not have to many problems :-)
Answers:
If I visit someoen in ther ehome, I am not necessarly going into their bed-room. In ahotle it might more easilly attract the wrong type of clients? But I think that if you word your leaflet carefully enough so that it is clear that it is therapeutical massage you are doing and not offering "stress relief for lonely travellers" you should be fine.
Artemis
Answers:
Hi there
I haven't actually massaged at a hotel however have considered it. The only way that I think that I would do it is if it was through an arrangement through the hotel management where they recommended my therapy or if there was an arrangement where they actually booked on the potential client's behalf. The other angle though is alot of 5 * hotels do have their own health suite facilities and I don't know if it would be a conflict of interest if you were to massage on their premises. I do not know any of this from experience but just thinking out aloud!
Only yesterday I had an e-mail from a potential client who asked if a massaged in hotels. I did not know this chap at all and he provided no other details and so immediately I knew I would not be interested. I responded thanking him for his enquiry, told him I do not do hotel visits and suggested that he looked in the local Yellow Pages for other Complementary Therapists who may be able to help or alternatively there may be a healthsuite available in the hotel he was staying (I did not know where he was staying). His enquiry was probably totally genuine with no shady undertones, so I tried not to offend him with my response but also did not want to take any chances either.
I think massaging in hotels could really hold some potential as I am sure there are plenty of stressed out business people (or anyone) who could do with a massage but personally I am not quite sure of the right way to go about this and so would be interested to read any further feedback you get from you thread.
Hollyx
Answers:
I agree totally. All good hotels have treatments like this now.
Answers:
katie - depending where you live - but in London there are already several massage therapy agencies specialising in hotel massage services and (what I heard) competition is strong.
Several of my collegues works for them - they are busy and well paid (they don't have much overheads as massage tables are provided in larger hotels and taxi fares are paid if they have to bring table with them).
I have many enquiries for hotel massage outcalls - however they are often at short notice and in the late evenings (when I am the most busy with my regular clients) as some hotel spas get overbooked.
Occasionally I have hotel massage jobs - they tend to be in the mornings/afternoons from clients with medical conditions or just suffering badly from jet lag and interested in one of my techniques (very often hotel massage clinics offer only relaxation massage).
Myself I don't even bother bringing my massage table with me as there is never enough space to set them up and move around - I do treatments on the floor (on the blanket or even bath towels).
Problem with hotel massage clients is that they won't be your regulars and you really need a steady local client base.
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